Yes, That’s a Lego Brick Made Out of Meteorite Dust

In the 5th Avenue Lego store in Manhattan, in the back toward the stairs going to the second level, there’s a small gray brick spinning lethargically on a thin pedestal. According to the Danish brickmaker and European Space Agency, that Lego piece was crafted from meteorite dust. While you won’t see astronauts going into space to try and build the first space edition of Suggested ReadingJustice Department to Criminally Charge Boeing for Breaching 737 Max Settlement: ReportsApple Rumored to Be Working on AirPods With Built-in CamerasOur Best Look Yet at Deadpool & Wolverine's Supervillain, and a Familiar FriendChina's Plan to Land Astronauts on the Moon CCShare SubtitlesOffEnglishJustice Department to Criminally Charge Boeing for Breaching 737 Max Settlement: ReportsApple Rumored to Be Working on AirPods With Built-in CamerasOur Best Look Yet at Deadpool & Wolverine's Supervillain, and a Familiar FriendChina's Plan to Land Astronauts on the Moon CCShare SubtitlesOffEnglishRelated ContentRelated ContentEach brick is not pure meteorite. The 4.5-billion-year-old meteorite dust was mixed with “a small amount” of thermoplastic polyester to let the engineers form it like a Lego piece. It was also mixed with “some regolith simulant,” which in this case is supposed to mimic the kind of dust found on the moon. The actual shape was made with a 3D printer.AdvertisementPhoto: Kyle Barr / GizmodoAdvertisementSo why build a brick out of multi-billion-year-old space dust? According to the ESA, it is to simulate how well this material does when making actual structures. No, future astronauts and space engineers probably won’t start building the first habitable domes on the Moon with Lego bricks, but scientists have tried testing the possibilities of space-based material. There’s, of course, In the release, ESA Science Officer Aidan Cowley is quoted saying that while the brick does look far rougher than your traditional Lego caltrop, “the clutch power still works, enabling us to play and test our designs.” It’s good to know a Space Brick has just as snug a fit as your regular Lego piece.AdvertisementOne of the enduring difficulties of planning for Moon-based structures is bringing what could be many tons of material from the ground into Earth’s orbit. NASA has outlined some prospects for Moon-based “mobile homes.”Still, humanity is inching closer to AdvertisementWant to see a space Lego in person? You may also be lucky enough to find one at your local Lego store. There are 15 shops in total with a Space Brick, and most are located in major cities in the U.S. We still don’t know if stepping on a Space Brick hurts as much as a regular Lego piece, but we suggest you don’t lose any in the folds of your carpet, just in case. If you’re really jonesing for some space Legos, you might also want to check out the

Based on reporting by gizmodo.com.